The Secret's In The Telling
by InsincerelyYours
Summary: Why wouldn’t her mouth ever behave itself around the stunningly handsome blonde? She risked a look, dangerous considering her mouth’s recent disobedience, to see that Draco had a faint smile on his lips, and she could tell he hadn’t recognized her.DG
1. Beginning To Fall

**The Secret's In The Telling**

**Chapter One**

**_Beginning to Fall_**

Ginny was having a pleasant dream in which she was walking through a beautiful garden, sweet smelling flowers surrounding her and filling her senses with a sensual aroma. Her hand was warmly placed in a larger hand, a male hand, with soft pale skin and impeccable nails;, trim and even, cuticles all in place. She was perfectly content. H, however, every time she attempted to glance at the face of the hand owner he would disappear, only to return when she averted her eyes. An insistent tapping woke her.Ginny

Ginny jerked up, her long red hair, which had darkened since childhood to a deep reddish brown, covering her face. As she regained consciousness she became aware of the chatter around her, indicating that she had once again fallen asleep in the Gryffindor Common Room. She grumbled as she lifted her head off the schoolbook, _The Standard Book of Spells Grade Five_,that she had fallen asleep on. There was a faint rub off of the textual words which, if you squinted hard enough, could be seen to read: _summoning objects (note: start with small...)_, on Ginny's forehead, which was wrinkled in annoyance and the interruption of her appealing dream.

"I'm up Hermione, I'm up," she muttered, and stretched her arms, yawning.

She was pretty, if not in a typical way, with her thick, wavy hair and cinnamon brown eyes, usually enhanced by a natural looking application of cosmetics which were now smudged from sleep, giving her the humorous appearance of a raccoon. Her warm eyes always showed her feelings, smoldering when she was angry, which was often, and twinkling when she was happy, or planning something mischievous. She was petite, only five foot three, but she had a temper that made up for her lack of height. Right now, though, she was too tired to be angry.

"Gin, how many times do I have to tell you not to fall asleep studying? It isn't good to sleep sitting up," chastised her older brother Ron.

Ron had red hair also, but he was tall, towering at a height of six feet three. Ginny rolled her eyes, and brushed past her brother without commenting. The truth was, she had not stayed up all night studying. She had really been writing to her secret admirer. There had been a pen-pal exchange for people interested in becoming Aurors, and they had gotten each other. They had never actually met, but had been in touch ever since. They had not shared their true identities, but she did know that he was a he, and that he went to Hogwarts., Band besides wanting to be an Auror, they had their sense of humour and frustration with their families in common, for his father didn't approve of his being an Auror, and either did Ginny's, though for different reasons., _and__His_ father wanted him to join him in the family business.

"So, what did lover boy say?" asked Ginny's friend Colin Creevey. Colin and her other friend Cameron were the only people she had told about him. They had taken to calling him lover boy, even though Ginny despised the nickname.

She sighed, pushing her hair out of her face. "He said 'I'm surrounded by shallow, unintelligent people who don't understand real life, being sheltered by the thick walls of Hogwarts. The only time I feel I can be myself is when I'm talking to you,'" she quoted. She sounded melancholy.

"And why do you sound so depressed about that?" Colin asked as they walked out of the common room and into the corridor, heading to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Because, it's too good to be true. _He's _too good to be true. No one can be that sweet, and no one could like me that much," Ginny told Colin. Colin shook his head in disbelieve. He knew of Ginny's habit of finding faults in faultless situations and her beliefve that she didn't deserve what she got, and that nothing was forever.

"And why not?" Colin asked. Ginny decided not to answer, but continued on as if he hadn't spoken.

"And I don't know who he really is. He could be _anyone_. For all we know its Goyle or something." Goyle was, to Ginny and Colin, the epitome of unintelligent, hideous males at Hogwarts. In addition to his large, gorilla-like appearance, Goyle's stupidity was only overpowered by his cruelty.

"I don't know why you can't let yourself be happy," Colin muttered for the hundredth time.

Ginny wasn't able to answer because just as he said this, a group of Slytherins appeared in the corridor in front of Colin and Ginny. The group was everything Ginny hated in people. They were cold and cruel and thrived on the pain of others. Their leader, a wizard named Draco Malfoy, sneered at Ginny and Colin. He was standing next to an attractive brunette named Blaise Zabini[GLM1 . Draco and Zabini were the most popular people in Slytherin and knew it all too well. Theiry're families were filthy rich, filthy because of the blood spilt to become so rich, and prided in their Apure blood.

"It's amazing that much ego could be in one relationship," Ginny muttered darkly. Ginny despised the group for many reasons. They made her life, and her siblings' lives, hell, always tormenting them because of their family and financial situation. Also, Draco Malfoy was the son of Lucius Malfoy, the man who had tried to kill her. Besides, they were malicious, conceited assholes.

Ginny increased her speed to an unseemly pace. She just wanted to get to breakfast without dealing with these idiots. The sooner she could get away from them the better.

"If it isn't the littlest weasel. Would you clean my shoes for a sickle? I mean, that's more then you've ever had in your whole life," Draco said coolly, and unoriginally. The group around him laughed cruelly.

Ginny just turned around and pulled Colin in the other direction. She could hear their laughter echoing down the empty corridor. Colin grumbled about having to take the long way to breakfast, but followed Ginny nonetheless.

Just as they were sitting down at the Gryffindor table, Dumbledore, the Headmaster, stood up. The Hall fell silent instantly, though a few whispers could be heard from the Slytherin table. Dumbledore was a kind wizard, who was quite old. But his blue eyes almost always held a twinkle and he was always smiling.

"The Staff and I have decided to give you a special treat. This Halloween, instead of holding the usual feast, we will have a Costume Ball. Students in Fourth year and above are allowed to attend. We will have a special Hogsmeades trip this Friday for the ball." The students started to talk instantly, excited by the ball. It was a first, as far as Ginny knew, and it sounded like a ton of fun.

She felt the familiar buzz in her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. ItThey wasere a new product, bought from her twin brothers' store, that came in pairs;, when someone wrote on one the words appeared instantly on the corresponding parchment. Ginny had been reluctant to trust them, after the incident in her first year, but Hermione assured her they were perfectly safe. It was how she had been communicating with 'lover boy'.

_What are you thinking about right now?_ The parchment read. Ginny bit her lip before writing back.

_You first._

Across the hall a boy at the Slytherin table glanced at a parchment in front of him and responded. Draco Malfoy was sure to keep the parchment from his housemates. He didn't truly consider the people around him friends, more like people he was forced to live with and spend time with. As he had written to a girl he called simply _her_, he only felt he could be himself when he was talking to her. The rest of the time he was only playing a part, to keep his demanding father satisfied.

_I'm thinking about...you._ He wrote back.

Ginny giggled slightly, and a warm flush appeared across her freckle-speckled cheeks.

_You know how you said we would meet soon?_ Draco wrote again, nervousness tightening his stomach.

_Yeah,_ came the reply.

_I was thinking, would you meet me at the ball, in the middle of the hall, at eleven?_

Ginny's heart sped up when she read his words. She wanted to meet his so badly. But she was afraid he would run when he saw whom she really was. Hesitantly she wrote back, biting her lip with tension.

_Maybe._

Draco felt his mouth curve in a grin when he read her words. He was going to meet her. He was going to meet the girl he had fallen in love with.

Ginny [GLM2 rushed through the corridor, her hair from her ponytail whipping around to attack her in the face with each step she took. She tripped over an uneven stone on the floor, almost dropping the large pile of books she was carrying. The corridor was nearly empty, which was a bad sign. It meant that she was late to Potions. Again. Professor Snape was going to eat her alive. Finally she arrived at the dungeon where Ppotions wereas held. She turned around and pushed the heavy wooden door open with her back, hearing the sudden silence that her entrance caused on the other side. She was breathing heavily, her hair was a mess and everyone turned to stare at her as she entered.

_Oh Nno,_ she thought. _I__'__m really late._

And she was. The class had already received their instructions and begun working on their Strengthening Solutions. Ginny swallowed and blushed scarlet. Professor Snape glared at her with explicit dislike.

"Ms. Weasley, you are fifteen minutes late. Would you care to explain _why_?" Snape asked frostily.

"Well…I…um…you see, I was,…" she stuttered stupidly.

"Spit it out Ms. Weasley, you've already wasted enough of my time," he spat at her. Some of her classmates laughed at his remark. The others glared at Snape with dislike.

"I was half-way here when I remembered I forgot my potions book, so I had to go back to the Gryffindor Tower, and then I couldn't find it because my dorm mate had thrown it on the floor," Ginny told him. It was a lie of course. Well, more of a half-truth. She had been so caught up with talking to 'lover boy' she had forgotten she had a class, and she had to race back to get her book and get to class.

"You should be more careful with your school worktuff, fifteen points from Gryffindor." Ginny sat down, blushing and feeling guilty. When Snape wasn't looking she asked Colin what they were supposed to be doing. To make matters worse, the potion they were doing was an extremely tricky one, and required exact measurements and caution to make.

Ginny's potion would not come out right. She was never exceptionally good at potions, and the fact that the teacher was a slimy git ruined the subject even more for her. Her potion was a bright yellow, when it was supposed to be a dark blue, and she had gotten salamander blood on the only new robe her mother had bought her for the new school year. She was about to attempt to fix the disaster that was her Strengthening Solution when Snape told them it was time to clean up.

Ginny tried to fix the potion as quickly as possible, but Snape appeared next to her.

"Tisk, tisk. This is _all_ wrong. It looks like you forgot to add the pomegranate juice. If a person was to drink this potion their lungs would explode," he said as he sneered at her potion. "A zero, again. Weasley, you're in grave danger of failing my class."

Ginny looked at him in horror. She needed a passing potions grade to get into Auror Training. Snape smiled cruelly and moved on to torment another student. Ginny sighed and placed her forehead on the table.

_My life is over_, she thought. Just as she was contemplating jumping off the Astronomy Tower, she got an idea. Snape may hate her, but maybe if she pleaded and groveled he would let her do something for extra credit. She knew it was unlikely, but she also knew that Dumbledore would not let Snape fail her without giving her a small chance to fix things. At least _he_ cared about his students' futures.

She stayed behind after everyone else left. Gathering up her Gryffindor courage she approached the desk. Snape kept on grading parchments, writing more thant a few large zeros in his obnoxious green ink, completely ignoring her. Just as she was about to turn and leave he looked up.

"What do you want, Weasley?" he said gruffly. Ginny bit her lip nervously.

"Sir, I really need a passing grade in your class to make it into Auror Training. So I was wondering if you'd…er…if you'd let me do something for extra credit?" she asked meekly.

Snape just stared at her for a moment. She held her breath. He opened his mouth and she thought he was going to say no.

"Very well," he said and waved his hand, making his grade book flip its own pages rapidly before stopping at Weasley, Ginevra. "You have zeros for three potions. I'll allow you to pass if you can make all three correctly." Ginny was shocked. She couldn't believe he was _actually_ agreeing. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he continued. "Just come here at, say, seven. You will need quite some time to finish the potions. I will come and check them at midnight."

Ginny's stomach dropped. _Maybe he just didn__'__t realize_, she thought hopefully.

"But sir, it's Halloween. Tonight is the Ball," she protested.

"Well, I need to have my grades done by Saturday. You can either do the potions tonight, or your grade stays as it is. Now please run along, I have essays to grade." Ginny left speechless. She couldn't believe anyone could be that cruel.

"Snape's evil, Ginny. What'd you expect?" Ron said when she told him, Harry and Hermione. Ginny wanted to hit her brother. He couldn't care less that her life was ruined.

"You're not going to go to the Ball, though, are you Ginny? I mean, you can't sacrifice your _dream_ for some silly dance," was Hermione's reaction.

_What about love?_ Ginny couldn't help thinking. She knew that becoming an Auror was important, and was one of her biggest dreams, but she was only fifteen, and while she was pretty mature for her age, she still had grandeur dreams of a happily ever after, complete with shining night in armour to save her from her life of paucity and drudgery.

Later, when everyone else went to get costumes for the ball, Ginny went to the Library and studied the three potions she would have to make that night. She was halfway through _The Art of Potions_ when Colin came up to her.

"Ginny? Shouldn't you be getting ready for the ball?" He asked. She hadn't told him about Snape's decision. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to have to explain to him the reasons why she had agreed. Perhaps it was because she knew he would tell her what she really felt deep inside, that she was once again throwing away her chance at happiness.

"I can't go Colin. Snape's making me remake the potions I failed for his class," she said sadly.

"You're not going to let _Snape_ boss you around, are you?" Colin said incredulously. Ginny looked at him dejectedly.

"I need to pass potions to be an Auror," Ginny told him.

"But what about lover boy? This could be your chance for true love!" Colin protested.

"Well, true love will have to wait," she answered, him ignoring the deep ache in her stomach that saying those words caused, and turning back to the book. Ginny's other friend, Cameron Gray, came up to them. She had long blonde hair and blue-gray eyes. Taking one look at their unhappy faces, she frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked them.

"Ginny can't go to the Ball because Snape is making her do extra credit to pass Potions," Colin told her. Cameron frowned and looked at Ginny.

"But, what about lover boy?!" You're supposed to meet him!,"

Ginny tried to protest, but Cameron cut her off. .

"You're going to that ball. I have an idea. My date, Derrick Benson, is a potions fanatic. He has every potion in his dorm. We can get him to give us the potions you need, all we need to do is get you there before Snape comes back." Ginny and Colin stared at their friend in wonder.

"But, I don't have a costume," Ginny protested, but she only protested weakly. The whole idea seemed perfect to her.

"Gin, have you forgotten who you're dealing with?" Cameron said, exasperatedlycerbated (s, she was quite the fashionista), while pulled Ginny and Colin out of the library.

The three friends ran through the secret passage to Hogsmeades (Ginny _was_ Fred and George's sister). The passage was dirty and dark, but none of them paid it any attention. They were too excited about what they were about to do.

They ran down the road towards Madame Malkins. They skidded to a halt in front of it. But the owner's daughter, Belle, was closing up.

"Belle! We need to get Ginny a costume," Cameron called to her. Belle shook her head apologetically.

"We're closed, Cam, sorry." Ginny couldn't believe it. Why was _everything_ going wrong? Couldn't one thing work out for her? Maybe this was why she constantly avoided chances at bliss—she couldn't stand the disappointment.

"Belle, please, we really need this," Colin said. "I'll go on a date with you!"

Belle had had a crush on Colin for a long time, always blushing when he came in with Ginny and Cameron, but Colin was too shy to do something about it, under normal circumstances anyway. Ginny was pleasantly touched that he would do something like that for her,; overcome his fear. Belle's eyes lit up and she grinned, letting them in.

"Okay, the costumes are over here," she said, leading them in the costumes' direction. They all followed her, ready to find Ginny the perfect costume.

They had tried on every costume in the store, but nothing leapt out at them. Ginny didn't want to be a pirate or a vampire or a ghost. No costume she had tried on seem pretty enough, or modest enough for her purpose. The room was scattered with discarded costumes, sad reminders of Halloweens past which Ginny had enjoyed as a child, and Ginny was giving up hope.

"It's no use, there' is nothing here. I guess it wasn't meant to be," Ginny said miserably. She dropped to the floor and glared at pink and purple fairy costume. Belle looked at her with sympathy, the look quickly melting away into a mask of resolve.

"There is one more costume. I'm not supposed to let anyone touch it, but I can make an exception for love," she said as she walked determinedly to a door in the back and pulled out a large brass key.

Cameron followed her excitedly, while Colin tried to cheer up Ginny, who refused to get up off the floor. They were too busy arguing to see the dress when Belle took it out, but they both looked up as Cameron gasped.

Ginny looked at the dress is wonder. She had never seen anything even remotely as beautiful. It was a dark green, almost black. Ginny thought it was the colour of the leaves on the trees of the Forbidden Forest, yet, unlike the leaves, the dress didn't inspire a sense of foreboding, instead a sense of beauty and nature... The skirt part was layer upon layer of sheer material. The top layer was studded with twinkling crystals. The bodice was tight, and the same colour green. It was embroidered with a gold thread in a twisted design. The sleeves were little puffs of the sheer material in the skirt.

"It's beautiful," Ginny breathed softly. She got to her feet and walked over to Belle. She ran the material through her hand, eyeing the dress with unhidden yearning. Then a wistful look came over her face. "But I can't wear it," she said weakly. Cameron, Belle and Colin all looked at her with identical expressions of disbelief.

"And why the bloody hell not?" Cameron asked her bluntly. She was not going to let Ginny walk away from this wonderful opportunity.

"Because," she said slowly, like she was talking to a toddler. "It must cost a fortune."

Belle waved her hand dismissively. "This, sweetie, is on the house. This dress was made for you. At least try it on, all of it. And then we'll talk." Cameron and Colin helped Ginny get the dress on, despite her weak protests. Belle came back with a mask in one hand and shoes in the other

"Just a few finishing touches," she said, placing the mask on Ginny's face. The mask was a matching green with gold rope outlining the outside and the eyeholes. There was a crystal in the corner of both eyeholes. The shoes were a glittering gold with a two-inch heel and an open toe.

"How do I look?" Ginny asked nervously. She fidgeted with the bodice, looking at the others through the mask, her brown eyes wide with anticipation and apprehension.

"Stunning," the three answered together. Belle dragged over a full-length mirror in front of Ginny. Ginny slowly looked into the mirror.

"Tha-That's not me," she said, stunned. She twirled around, admiring the way the material swished around her. Ginny felt a grin form on her face. "Fine, I'll borrow it. But you'll get it back by midnight." Belle agreed and wished her good luck.

The three friends rushed through Hogsmeades, trying to get to Ginny to the ball. They finally arrived at the Entrance Hall, and paused, catching their breath.

"Okay, we need to get our costumes on, you go meet lover boy. We'll see you inside," Colin told her, then started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

"But… You're just gonna make me go in there by myself? What if everyone laughs?" Ginny protested.

"No one is going to laugh," Cameron assured her before following Colin, but she paused at the edge of the staircase and turned back around.

"I almost forgot!," sShe muttered a spell under her breath and purple sparks shot out of her wand and circled around Ginny. HerShe long red hair magically curled into long ringlets tumbling down her back. Shimmer-y white powder appeared on her eyelids, and her lips were coated with a sheer gloss. Ginny, who could only imagine what the spell had done, gave Cameron a questioning glance, but the girl just walked up the stairs.

Ginny took a deep breath and tried to smile. But the fairies flying around in her stomach made it difficult. Doubts and fears circled her brain. What if he didn't show up? What if he took one look at her and ran in the other direction?

_Quiet!_ She commanded of the voices, and then pushed open the large wooden door in front of her.

Once again Ginny gasped in wonder. The Great Hall had been transformed. The professors had really gone all out. Ginny was currently standing on a landing that overlooked the Hall. It was fifty feet above the floor, and had never been there before. The Hall itself was breathtaking. It was covered in huge white flowers. They were everywhere, on the walls, the floor, oand the table, even on the ceiling. There also were over a hundred white-lit fairies fluttering around the Great Hall. In addition to white floating candles, they were the only source of light in the hall.

Most of the room was set up as a dance floor. Couples danced happily to the live band playing on a newly created stage. There was some space set aside with small round tables for two, but most of the students were on the enormous dance floor. The identities of the students were hidden by the various costumes. Ginny could pick out at least fifty different costumes just from there. Laughter and chatter filled the hall, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Ginny carefully descended the stairs, lifting her skirt to keep from trampling it. She could have imagined the sudden hush that came over the crowd as she walked down the stairs--- floated actually---. She could have imagined every eye on her, but she didn't. People on the dance floor actually stopped dancing to gape at her.

_Oh my__ Do I _really_ look that bad,?_ she thought nervously.

Of course she didn't. She looked breathtaking. But Ginny was oblivious to her beauty, which made it that much more spectacular. It showed just how nervous she was that she didn't even have the energy or notion to blush. All she could focus on was not tripping down the stairs. When she finally reached the bottom, murmurs broke out among the crowd, everyone wondering whom this beauty was. But teenagers have a remarkably short attention span, and by the time Ginny reached the edge of the dance floor everyone had returned to their previous activities.

She was supposed the meet him at eleven in the middle of the Great Hall. Ginny glanced at the large clock floating in midair, which read was five to eleven. Taking yet another deep breath she picked up her skirts once more and made her way to the centere of the dance floor.

It wasn't as easy as it sounded. Dancing couples were blissfully unaware of their surroundings and blatantly ignored her. She had to push her way through. When she got to the middle she tried to act nonchalant. She glanced around, trying to look casual;, attempting in vain to silence the voices that had once again began to circle around her head. After what seemed to her as forever she decided he wasn't showing and turned to leave, but when she turned around she bashed into a solid figure. Ginny felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and couldn't look up to see whom she collided with, since tears had formed in her eyes. She refused to let anyone see her cry, e_specially_ over a boy.

"Do you realize your standing _directly_ in the middle of the dance floor?" Asked another familiar voice. This voice sounded abnormal given the distinct lack of the customary cold tone. "Is that a mere coincidence, or is there a reason for this oddness,?" Draco asked, his voice light with teasing. Ginny had to fight to not gape in shock. It couldn't be possible. Draco Malfoy could **not **be lover boy. It was ridiculous, absurd, inconceivable. She blinked back her tears and looked up, resolve shining in her cinnamon colored eyes, ready to tell the blonde off and storm off.

"I don't believe in coincidences," was what came out of her mouth instead. She resisted the urge to screech in frustration. Why wouldn't her mouth ever behave itself around the stunningly handsome blonde? She risked a look, dangerous considering her mouth's recent disobedience, to see that Draco had a faint smile on his lips, and she could tell he hadn't recognized her.

_Otherwise he__'__d be scowling in disgust_, she thought bitterly.

"Draco Malfoy," she spit out in a tone that said 'I should have known'.

"You don't need to sound so unhappy about it," he said, the slight smile leaving his face.

Ginny was surprised he hadn't recognized her by her biting tone; it wasn't the first time she had spoken to him, and every other time he had responded as expected, but he clearly had no idea she was a _Weasley,_ otherwise he would be running in the opposite direction. What she should have done the second she realisedwas it was him. Frustration was making her moody, and she lashed out at no one in particular, "What was this, some kind of _joke_? Never mind, I don't even want to know." Ginny pushed past a shocked Draco, ready to storm out of the Hall for good.

Of course, that didn't happen. Instead Draco reached out and grabbed her, spinning her around. His gray eyes were filled with hurt and a little anger. Ginny was intrigued by this show of emotion. The Draco Malfoy she knew wouldn't be caught dead with hurt evident on his face.

"It's obvious you don't like me, and I'm sure you have perfect reason to hate me, but I assure you this is **not** a joke," he said earnestly. Then, as if he realiszed how unMalfoyish hise behavior was, he pushed back the hurt, leaving only the anger. But it was unlike the disdainful hatred she was used to seeing in his normally cold gray eyes- this anger was the kind that came from being hurt by someone who you cared about.

It was enough to make her reassess the Slytherin in front of her. He looked completely comfortable in his old fashioned Mmuggle style costume. It was dark green velvet with gold trimming, and went perfect with his pale complexion and light hair, as well was matching her own dress to a tee. He looked elegant and completely contented. "But you wanted to meet me, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Please, just give me a chance," he continued.

Ginny was torn. Every bone in her body was telling her to turn away. That this was _Malfoy_, who was responsible for so much of her pain. But it was the please that got her. She could tell by the way his voice hesitated before saying it that it was hard for him to beg, and it made her slightly less skeptical. Only slightly.

"Why?" she asked, but the earlier tone of anger and harshness was gone. Relief flashed in Draco's eyes and Ginny knew she made the right choice, even if she didn't know why it was the right one.

"Because you know me better than anyone on this earth. I've told you things I've never said aloud. And I feel just as strongly about you as I thought you felt about me, and I love the person I am with you," he said softly, unable to look her in the eye. Ginny felt her heart speed up, but her stupid Weasley conscious wouldn't shut up.

"You're Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince, boyfriend of the biggest bitch this side of Europe, boy Death-Eater. But you want to be an Auror? You can't be both people," Ginny said. She half expected Draco's eyes to flash with anger or the look of hurt to return to his eyes, but that didn't happen.

"You're completely right." Ginny was unable to detect any emotion in his voice.

"Then which person are you?" Ginny said, and she realiszed how much she wanted him to answer the latter.

"I don't know." This time she was able to read frustration in his voice. He was standing only a foot from Ginny and the candlelight was casting his face in shadows, but illuminating his gorgeous silver eyes, and making them glow. The light made his light hair appear silver also. " I do know who I want to be. And that's the person I am with you."

Ginny sighed. This situation was too bizarre for her to think straight. If she closed her eyes she could imagine she was reading the words from their letters, but connecting the familiar words and emotions to Draco Malfoy was nearly impossible. She didn't know what to make of Draco and his fancy words. Nor could she shrug off the way he was making her feel, it wasn't something she had ever experienced before.

She remembered something her mother had said once, after Ginny's ordeal with Tom Riddle. She had told Ginny that she had the gift of seeing the good in people, and that in it was something she should always be proud of. In this instance she knew her mother would want her to at least give the tall blonde a chance. Was that really so much to ask?

Ginny smiled sweetly, trying to make Draco understand that she was willing to at least listen to him, and would bewas willing to change her opinion of him. Draco smiled in return, a bright, true smile, even if it was a bit wobbly, as if he was not used to using those muscles. Despite this, it made Ginny's stomach flip-flop and reassured her of her decision.

* * *

[GLM1 Described as a "tall black **BOY** with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes." Blaise shares Draco's prejudice against Muggle-born witches and wizards; Ginny considers Blaise a "poser." 

[GLM2 Such a sudden change of place, time, and person! You need to put something like a star [ to make the distinction.


	2. Tainted Souls and Spectacles

**The Secret's In The Telling**

**InsincerelyYours**

**Chapter Two**

**_Tainted Souls and Spectacles _**

_"Love is the only game never postponed due to darkness."_

_This chapter is dedicated to _**sprinkles-the-magic-bunny **_without whom this chapter would've been a long time coming._

Draco smiled again, offering his hand out with over exaggerated gallantry. Ginny took it, the grin never leaving her face.

"May I suggest a little stroll in the gardens?" he said.

"Sounds wonderful," Ginny agreed, following the blonde to the door leading to the gardens. She felt like a character in a Mmuggle fairy tale, some princess who finally met her prince. Never mind that the Prince was someone who, before tonight, she loathed passionately, and that she was dirt poor, and had next to know experience with Princes. Ginny knew in her heart she had found her Prince Charming.

The gardens were, if possible, even more breath-taking than the Great Hall. The same large with tropical flowers were everywhere, but all different coloured flowers joined them. The bushes were sparkling with fairy lights. It was truly magical, and the beauty of it overwhelmed Ginny. She and Draco were walking along the path, and were completely alone. Ginny still hadn't processed all that had happened, but she knew if she ever did she would get a huge migraine. But she pushed thoughts like that to the back if her mind, losing herself in the moment.

"You're not going to tell me your name, are you?" Draco asked plucking a flower from a vine that had wound its way up the terrace. He handed it to Ginny, who smiled and took it, tucking it behind her ear.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," Ginny quoted casually. Draco gave her a confused glance. "William Shakespeare, he was an extremely famous Mmuggle poet and writer." She had come across one of his books in a pile of Mmuggle objects her father had taken from work.

"So, that's a no, then. Can I try to guess? I'll ask you some questions and see if I can figure it out," he said in a hushed tone, gazing at her intently. Ginny thought he looked irresistible, so she didn't resist, deciding to let the inevitable be just that.

"Okay, but I don't have to answer," she said in an equally quiet tone. Draco nodded, and then fell silent, thinking of a question.

"Okay," he said suddenly, stopping and turning around to face her. "What house are you in?" Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the predictable question.

"Would it matter?" she asked, falling into her bad habit of answering a question with a question. She had also stopped walking and looked at Draco, trying to decipher his intentions. The air around them seemed to crackle around them in anticipation.

"Not at all." As far as Ginny could tell, he was being completely sincere. "It would narrow the suspects down quite a bit though."

"So now I'm a 'suspect'?" Ginny teased, raising her left eyebrow. Draco had to fight the ever-growing urge to just sweep down and kiss this beautiful girl. She was everything he had imagined: sweet, innocent, beautiful, and lively.

He ignored her question, so she answered his question. She broke eye connect, not wanting to see the disgust, which would indefinitely shine in his eyes when she confessed. "Gryffindor," she said quietly. _Here its comes_, she thought. She knew the illusion would be shattered, and the Draco Malfoy she knew would show himself, but she didn't want it to happen. Instead, she felt a hand gently lift her head up, so she was again looking in his eyes. The contempt she had expected was not showing in his graey eyes. In its place was a warmth and kindness foreign to her. Her knees grew weak at the look, and she mentally scolded herself for being so 'Weasley-esque'. She loved her family dearly, and was proud of her heritage, but she knew they were very close-minded when it came to the Malfoy family.

"Okay, what's your favourite class?" It was obvious he was playing it safe, not asking the questions that actually matter, and she was both thankful and frustrated by it.

"Charms. Really Draco, this isn't getting us anywhere," she said, her voice short with impatience.

Draco nodded in agreement, knowing she was correct. "Okay, let me think." They stood in silence for a few minutes. Ginny played with a strand of her red hair, watching the gold highlights shining in the light like rays of sunlight.

"Do you believe in true love?" Ginny was startled out of her reverie by the question. For some reason it unsettled her. She always thought true love was a joke, but deep in her heart she wanted it. She wanted to be deeply and passionately in love. The thought that there was a perfect person for everyone comforted her.

"Yes, I do. I just don't think it's easy to find," she answered slowly. They had resumed walking, and had now come to a small gazebo. It was a light beige colour, and vines covered in flowers wrapped themselves around it, as if they had minds of their own. The fairy lights sparkled and moved in a synchronized ballet, dazing Ginny with its splendour.

Draco climbed up the steps and offered his hand to Ginny, who took it keenly.

"What is your're biggest fear?" Draco asked. His eyes were looking at something unseen, and the look gave her chills. She bit her lip (another bad habit), thinking about the question. What did she fear? Her first instinct was to say Voldemort. But if she thought about it more, she realized he wasn't what she feared. She feared what her represented—the evilness in everyone.

"I think I fear the darkness that is inside everyone, even myself. Losing myself in darkness and not being able to find light again," Ginny answered.

Draco leaned against the wall as he contemplated her answer. It was exactly how he felt, which frightened him more than he cared to admit. He wondered what darkness could be hidden in such an innocent person; how she could think her beautiful soul was tainted. And what had happened to her that she was afraid of it.

Draco recognized the depressing mood, which was starting to settle over them, and decided to break it. He smiled at her and jumped to his feet. Ginny smiled back, but looked at him questioningly. "Do you want to dance?" he asked, giving her a sweet smile.

"Here? But there isn't any music," she answered in bewilderment.

"Why, you aren't the least bit spontaneous, are you?" he teased her. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly, but took his offered hand. Draco waved his wand with his other hand and whispered a spell. Sweet music filled the air, creating a romantic mood.

Draco put his wand back and gently placed his hand on Ginny's waist. Ginny in turn wrapped her arms around his neck. Since she was much shorter than him, her head only came up to his shoulder, so she rested her head on his chest. She listened to the beating of his heart and felt completely content.

Draco set his head on hers, enjoying the heavenly smell of her hair. He again wondered who this angel he held in his arms was. It was a mystery to him, and he couldn't believe he could not place her. He couldn't understand how he didn't remember such a perfect person.

Ginny thought the music was beautiful. The song had a haunting melody, and the lyrics almost made her cry. Of course, when she thought this she couldn't believe how sappy she sounded. Love was turning her into a puddle. _Whoa- love? Did I just think love?_

The couple could have stayed like that for ages happily, but they knew that could not happen. As the music faded away they pulled back slightly. Draco looked into Ginny's warm brown eyes, and finally let himself succumb to his urge to kiss her.

Ginny was pleasantly surprised to feel Draco's lips on hers. They were soft and warm, much like the kiss itself, and made Ginny's stomach flutter in response. Just as she started to melt into the kiss the clock in the ball struck twelve in a loud but beautiful symphony of bells. Ginny reluctantly pulled away. Draco looked at her with a mixture of hurt and confusion. Ginny picked up her skirt and hurried away, shouting an explanation over her shoulder.

"I… I have to go. Snape. Potions. Evil," she said incoherently. Draco stared at her for a moment before coming to his senses and sprinting after her. He jumped over bushes and shrubs, but still couldn't reach her. All he could see of her was a shock of bright red hair or a sparkle of deep blue dress.

Ginny ran wildly through the crowd, unaware of the evil glances and muttering that followed her. Her hair whipped her face, and she felt hot tears fill her eyes. She couldn't help but curse Snape for ruining her perfect evening. She pushed Hannah Abbot out of the way and finally reached the door. She sighed in relief. Half way there, she thought.

Draco pushed through couples and teachers alike. He also was unaware of the stares and curses that were directed at him. All that filled his mind was the girl. He **needed** to get to her, to find out who she was.

Ginny ran through the empty corridor. The pounding of her heels on the stone floor echoed through them, almost as loud as her pounding heart. She turned a corner and felt her dress snag on the rough surface of the wall. Frantically she pulled at it and it pulled away. She continued the rush down toward the dungeons without giving it a second thought. Or even a first.

When Draco left the Great Hall he found the corridor distressingly empty. He ran through themn for a few minutes, but found nothing. Frustrated, he let loose a string of curses and punched the wall in anger. He found grim satisfaction in the pain the action caused. He was about to turn back, giving up, when he saw a flash of dark blue green out of the corner of his eye. He dashed to it, and found a small scrap of fabric stuck on the wall. He pulled it out gently and eyed the fabric suspiciously. His first instinct was to search the whole castle, but he realized how irrational that was.

"Who are you," he whispered to the empty corridor. He received no answer.

Ginny ran as fast as her slightly short legs could carry her. The empty stone corridor blurred before her eyes as she ran past. She silently prayed to all of the gods she had ever heard of that Snape wasn't in the dungeons yet. She skidded to a halt outside the heavy wood door and tried to catch her breath. She opened to door slowly and warily. A sigh of relief bubbled out of her mouth as she quickly looked around the empty room.

On the table closest to Snape's desk rested three potions in a neat row, a cauldron had been left giving the illusion that the potions had been brewed in this very room. She tried to think of a spell to change her dress into black robes temporarily, but her mind drew a blank.

"Think, Ginny, think," she muttered to herself frantically. Her eyes darted rapidly around the room for some clue. She almost jumped when she heard the tell tale sound of quick steps on the stone floor. Snape was approaching! Some divine power seemed to think Ginny had gone through enough, because just before the door creaked open the spell came to her. She muttered the incantation and her beautiful dark blue dress became plain black robes. They were ragged and way too small, but Ginny couldn't care less.

Snape opened the door swiftly, as if he expected to find some nasty surprise waiting for him. His eyes narrowed suspiciously when he found Ginny sitting at the table screwing theo cap on the last potion container and humming slightly.

"Professor," she said with mock surprise, as if she had lost track of time. "Is it midnight already?" she asked innocently.

Snape's suspicious look did not leave his face, but as he had no proof of anything amiss he was forced to nod curtly and collect the potions. Ginny bit back a sigh of relief.

"I will need to test these further before I change your grade," he said nastily, as if he suspected they were wrong. "I will let you know if they are correct in class on Monday."

Ginny gave him a cheerful smile, which only infuriated him further, and skipped out of the room. When she finally put enough distance between herself and the dungeons she dropped to the floor, a sound half between a sob and a laugh came from her mouth, and she started to giggle uncontrollably. Obviously she did not cope well with stress. Out of the shadows, Colin and Cameron came and sat next to Ginny. Colin was clearly amused by her response to the evening, but Cameron looked at her with worry.

"How'd it go, sweetie?" she asked softly. She wasn't sure if she was more worried of a negative response or a positive one. Ginny looked up, her brown eyes bright, a faint smile on her lips.

"It was… wonderful. He was _perfect_," she told her best friend.

Colin and Cameron looked at her expectantly. "Well!" Colin said impatiently. Ginny looked puzzled because she had absolutely no idea what her friends were waiting for. Cameron couldn't take the suspense any longer. "Who was he?!," she burst out, her voice sounding extremely loud in the vacant corridor. Ginny and Colin gave her identical annoyed looks and she gave an apologetic look back.

"It was…, now, bare with me, this is going to be a big shock. But he's not like how you think he is," Ginny babbled, trying to stall. She had no idea how her friends were going to react to the news.

"GinnyGinny!," they said in unison.

"Draco Malfoy," she said quickly, and then looked down at her hands. Cameron, for once in her life, was speechless. She just gaped at GinnyGinny, mouthing wordlessly. Colin had become very pale.

"_Malfoy?_ As in, Slytherin, evil, You-Know-Who-Ass-Kissing Malfoy? You have **got **to be kidding me," was his response.

"Guys! Were you even listening to me? I said he isn't really like that. He was sweet and romantic, and…," she sighed softly,. "Aand everything I'ved ever wanted in a boyfriend."

Cameron looked at Ginny closely and then smiled knowingly. She took in the sparkle in her eyes that had been absent for so long. The enlightening glow and the faint smile that hadn't left her face since they had come out of the shadows. Ginny was in love. Of course, Cameron couldn't tell Ginny that, because the girl was totally and completely not ready to hear that. All Cameron could dso was help her realize it.

"What did he say when he found out who you were?," Colin asked curiously. He wanted to know if Malfoy had really changed, even though he doubted it greatly.

"I didn't tell him," Ginny said weakly. Cameron and Colin both looked at her in surprise. "Don't give me that look. I panicked, okay? I would have told him, eventually."

"So, when _are_ you going to tell him?" Cameron asked. She had stood up and gestured for Colin and Ginny to do the same. The ball had ended at Midnight and if anyone found them still out of bed there would be hell to pay.

"I'm not," Ginny said firmly as they quickly walked back to Gryffindor Tower.\

"What do you mean, you're not going to tell him? It's not like you can hide your identity when you talk to him again," Colin said impatiently. Cameron remained silent, hoping Ginny wouldn't say what she thought she was going to say, as it would make her job a lot harder.

"I mean, I'm not going to see him again. It would never work, our families hate each other, and he wouldn't even talk to me if he found out. Why bring that pain on myself?" she said logically. She hoped her friends wouldn't realize the real reason she didn't want to tell him. That she was scared of her own feelings and scared of being hurt.

Cameron sighed mentally. She knew she would have to make Ginny see that she didn't need to be afraid of her relationship, or the potential of one, with Draco. It would be hard work, but Cameron wasn't about to let her friend pass this opportunity by. She would make Ginny be happy, no matter how much she didn't want to be.

The two girls said goodnight to an extremely confused Colin and headed up to the dormitory in silence. Cameron fell asleep almost instantly after spending hours dancing at the ball. Ginny, however, didn't. She couldn't get the image of the hurt look on Draco's face as she ran away from him out of her mind.

Draco didn't have any real friends to confide in. The only person who even came close to being a friend was his girlfriend Tracey Davis, but she was also a self-centered witch who only cared about close athes and position in the Slytherin hierarchy. So instead he sat in his favourite chair in the Slytherin Common Room, stared at the fire, and brooded. His fellow housemates were wise enough to steer clear of him, knowing that in his current mood it was very likely he would curse them if they approached him.

Draco couldn't get the face of the girl out of his mind; no matter how hard he tried. He tried thinking of Quidditch instead, even that didn't work. He finally gave in, thinking if he thought about her enough she wouldn't seem as compelling. But that blew up in his face. So he settled on vowing to find out who she was, and get her to agree to be his girlfriend, because there was no other solution he could see.

The guilty feeling didn't go away, even after a sleepless night. Ginny had never thought of herself as a cruel person, but she felt she needed to rethink that after recent events. She knew that if she was in Draco's position— and she thanked Merlin she wasn't— and had finally found someone who could see him for him, she would be devastated if they basically disappeared without any explanation.

She went through classes on autopilot, paying less attention to them than Snape would give a first year Gryffindor who had broken his toe;, in other words—none. If she had she might have noticed that Snape was giving her evil and suspicious looks, but she really didn't have the energy after the sleepless night. Cameron and Colin were giving her concerned looks and Harry and Hermione had also noticed her distance. Ron— the poor guy— was as clueless as ever.

At lunch it took all four of them— Hermione, Harry, Cam and Colin— to get her to notice something very interesting at the Slytherin table. Or rather, someone interesting _leaving_ the table and making his way toward the Gryffindor one. The whole Hall quieted down and everyone's eyes were on the silver-blonde head. But Draco, as usual, maintained his cold and aloof façade. He marched purposefully over to one end of the table, ignoring everyone but the poor fourth year girls who had were unlucky enough to catch his attention.

Ginny had been eating her soup perfunctorily. She was staring pointedly in the opposite direction of the Slytherin table. She attempted to ignore her annoying friends who were shaking her enthusiastically, trying to get her to look in the one direction she utterly **refused** to look. The key word being _attempted_. Her friends were quite determined and refused to leave her alone until she looked there. What the hell, she thought. Why not humour them? Just a quick glance, nod in agreement to whatever theyat say and she would be left in peace. It worked in theory, at least.

Draco was sick of this. All day long he thought about **her.** When he woke up in the morning, through breakfast and **all **of his morning classes. Even during break and his favourite class—Ppotions. He was too distracted to torment Potter and his friends, or to humour Tracey, who suddenly seemed _way_ too clingy. He found himself wishing she were shorter, with red hair and porcelain skin. Then it was lunch, and his favourite dish was being served—potato and cheese soup—and he couldn't even **taste **it. This was crazy. He needed to do something. And it needed to happen within the next minute, or he'd go insane. So, he found himself walking doggedly toward the Gryffindor table. He abstractedly noticed that the whole hall had shut up and was watching him, but the only thing that was on his mind was **her**.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley! I really think you'll want to see this," Cameron said vigorously. Ginny didn't know if it was the use of her full name, or the tone of voice, but she finally decided to humour her friend. She slowly turned her gaze over to the Slytherin side and gasped. Draco Malfoy, _the_ Draco Malfoy, was walking with determination over to the end of her table. She felt herself pale considerably. But she didn't notice when she spilled the steaming soup on her robes.

"Oh my, oh my. _What_ is he doing? What am I going to do? This isn't happening, it so isn't happening…," Ginny started babbling nervously. Cameron placed her hand on the frazzled girl's shoulder to calm her. Ginny stopped with her prattle. Instead she stared at the scene unfolding before her with wide eyes and a half open mouth. It would have been a little more suspicious if half the students and a few teachers didn't have the exact same look on their face. The only person who didn't even look slightly perturbed by the turn of events was Dumbledore.

Draco tried to give the two young girls his most warm smile, and then regretted it at the look they gave him. He wouldn't have been surprised if they had peed in their robes right there in the Great Hall. They looked terrified. He dropped the smile and decided to keep this as brief as possible, for all their sakes.

"It's okay,; I'm not going to hex you." The short blonde with glasses looked relieved at that, while the brunette in front of Dracohim just looked more suspicious. "I just want to ask you a question, is that okay?" The brunette nodded stiffly, the blonde looked like she was going to burst into tears.

"What?" the brunette asked in a 'trying-to-be-brave-but-failing-terribly' voice. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Did they think he was going to bite them or something?

"Did you two go to the dance?" he asked. The two girls looked at each other then nodded weakly. They looked comforted and the blonde started to chew her roll again. The brunette kept her eyes on Draco, but she only looked curious now.

"Do you remember that attractive red-head in the dark green dress?" They looked at him as if he had grown ten heads each with hair a different shade of the rainbow. Draco's heart sank. What if no one noticed that beautiful creature besides him and PotterPotter?. It seemed like a crime just to think it.

"Who didn't see her? She was gorgeous," the blonde said, obviously happiermore happy with where the conversation was going. Draco noticed she still had her chewed up roll in her mouth. He fought to bite back the relieved sigh.

"Do you know who she was? I know from a source that she's in your house. It's extremely imperative that I speak with her," he said eagerly. They looked at each other and then turned to him with identical looks of regret.

"No, we've been wondering the same thing ourselves. You wouldn't believe how many red heads there are in Gryffindor," the brunette informed him. Blondie sighed, and looked genuinely sorry. Draco had an idea; he didn't want to do it, however desperate times called for desperate measures,… or something like that.

"If you guys could, you know, ask around, I'd appreciate it greatly. I could make sure you never have a problem with any Slytherins again," he offered temptingly. Blondie smiled brightly and nodded her head eagerly. The brunette looked hesitant, but also agreed.

"Send me a letter if you find anything. Your owls will know where to find me. I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone," he tried to look intimidating but not overly threatening. It worked, both girls nodded quickly.

"Okay, it's a deal." He began walked away from them and could almost sense the easing of the tension from them.

Ginny watched as he talked to the two girls quietly. At first the girls looked horrified and Ginny wondered if he was threatening to pbut the Cruciatus curse onCrucio them. But then the blonde, who Ginny recognized as Sally Doyle, smiled and nodded eagerly. Her friend, Jen Miller, looked a little more apprehensive, but she too nodded and Draco looked as if he was going to leave. Ginny started to slowly release the breath she didn't know she had beenwas holding, but involuntarily sucked it back in when Draco pivoted and began to walk **straight toward her**. His determined look was replaced with the usual scowled and an added look of uneasiness, as if he'd rather be doing anything thanbut what he was doing.


End file.
